Welcome all you left handed mobile users. Here’s a tip that might make your day a little better.
Nearly all, if not every single mobile device, is catered to the right handed user. With between 70-95% of the population considered to be right handed, most mobile manufacturers design devices with this in mind. This leaves the remaining 5-30% of left handed people having to adapt to a right handed world. User experience is one of the most important aspects designers will consider when developing a new device.
For left handed users, there is light at the end of the tunnel! Android have a hidden feature that allows you to switch your layout from right to left handed.
First you need to get into your developer options, then you can enable the layout change. Here’s how:
- Go into Settings > About Phone.
- Scroll down until you see “Build Number” and tap it seven times in quick succession. This will enable developer options (if they’re not enabled already.)
- Once your phone tells you you’re a developer, hit the back button to go to the main settings.
- At the bottom, right above About Phone, you’ll now see “Developer Options” where it wasn’t before. Tap it.
- Scroll down and tap the box to enable “Force RTL layout direction”.
Your layout should instantly switch, giving your left thumb better reach to tap everything you need without so much strain. In addition, you’ll see the layout direction of your home screen has changed. You’ll pull to open Google Now the same way.
